This invention relates to anchoring and mooring devices adapted for marine usage, and more particularly relates to an anchor apparatus having improved releasing properties for use with boats
In the design of boat anchors two desirable features are sought which frequently are in conflict resulting in the difficulty in achieving effective designs, namely provision of an anchor which will reliably moore the vessel while at the same time being readily releasable when desired. Various mechanisms have been provided for attempting to accomplish both objectives, however they suffer from numerous defficiencies such as undue complexity and difficulty of manufacture, unreliability of the release mechanism and the like.
Representative such mechanisms may be seen depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,424,040 to Long, 2,796,844 to March, 2,816,522 to Root, 3,263,642 to Wilson, 3,269,348 to Churchward, 4,337,717 to Gregory 4,403,564 to Garvin, 1,584,132 to Peterson, and 1,636,760 to Swift. Even a brief review of these references will reveal the numerous defficiencies, which, in particular may include provision of a number of projections, sharp edges and the like which undesirably may engage and become fouled in material such as undersea cables; complicated multi-part constructions which are inherently more unreliable and costly to manufacture including springs, sliding members, etc.; and difficulty in a "hooking" operation of the anchor from the surface as in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 1,636,760 to Swift for example.
Accordingly, a novel anchor design was long sought after which is provided in the subject invention which was safe and of simple construction, requiring few parts, inexpensive to manufacture, reliably and simply engageable with the floor of water bodies such as sea beds, river bottoms, and the like to moore vessels, yet at the same time being easily and quickly releasable for retrieval of the anchor at the vessel when desired, thus overcoming the hereinbefore described problems with previously existing designs.